Passing the Torch: Local police departments carry Special Olympics torch through Pittsburgh
Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon police officers, dressed in blue and black, respectively, run down Forbes Avenue May 16 as part of the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run to State College. Carrying the torch is Mt. Lebanon Cpl. Jeff Kite; Bethel Park Officer Cristian Frost carries the flag.
Courtesy of Sean Gorman
Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon police staff and family, dressed in blue and black, respectively, pose with the Special Olympics torch in Pittsburgh May 16. The officers carried the torch through the Steel City before handing it off to be taken to State College.
Courtesy of Sean Gorman
Bethel Park police Officer Cristian Frost carries the U.S. flag beside Mt. Lebanon Cpl. Jeff Kite, who holds the Special Olympics torch. The two police departments carried the torch through Pittsburgh May 16.
Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon police departments, led by Bethel Park Officer Madison Foster-Alauzen carrying the Special Olympics flag, Bethel Park Officer Andrew Jacobs holding the torch and Bethel Park Officer Jorge Zarate carrying the American flag, run through Pittsburgh May 16 as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run.
Police officers from local departments literally carried the torch through Pittsburgh May 16, as the Special Olympics Be a Fan processional passed through the Steel City.
“It’s a neat thing when the torch gets passed,” said Bethel Park Detective Sean Gorman, who participates annually in the Law Enforcement Torch Run. “When the torch gets passed off to the next group of officers, there’s high fives and handshakes.”
The Special Olympics’ LETR torch began its 150-mile journey across Pennsylvania from Pittsburgh to State College May 16, a trek that takes three days and hundreds of volunteers, including a police motorcycle escort, to complete.
Participants pass the torch every three miles along a winding route from Sixburgh to Penn State’s main campus, where the Special Olympics Pennsylvania 2023 Summer Games begin June 8. The two-day Olympics is the largest competition in the state, with more than 2,000 athletes competing for gold and personal achievement.
Bethel Park Police Department has participated in the torch run for more than a decade, Gorman said, and it’s something officers look forward to annually.
“When they first (brought) the torch run out to Pittsburgh, when we saw that, we wanted to help out and be a part of it. It brings a lot of pride in what we do. Kind of the heart of why we do our job in the first place is helping others. It’s a really cool thing to be in. It’s officers who are volunteering their time. Some work midnight shift and come out and run. They fit it between their schedules and make it happen,” Gorman said.
This year, BPPD set a fundraising goal of $500, an effort led by Gorman, who himself donated $100. Thanks to officers and the community’s generosity, the police department quickly raised more than $1,000 for the Special Olympics.
Some years, Special Olympics athletes run alongside the police department, which is especially meaningful for the torch-carrying officers.
“The athletes, if you ever get the chance to meet them, are just some amazing, amazing people. They work really hard. It’s just really cool to support an endeavor like that,” said Gorman, adding the torch run is filled with camaraderie and fun.
Mt. Lebanon and Castle Shannon police departments also ran with BPPD May 16.